To ultimately get the blessings of God is the principal importance of Hindu rituals. When God is pleased with Hindus validating their devotion, God showers blessings upon them. Most of these rituals are performed in holy sites such as places of nature and temples. A number of rituals may be performed in the home. Some rituals are performed daily, most especially during the two most important times of dawn and dusk. Rituals, prayers, and sacred ceremonies are manifestations of devotion to God. Rituals in the form of respectful homages to the dearly departed members of the family and ancestors or forefathers are also ultimate forms of devotion to God through fully practicing being Hindu devotees.  

Some Hindu worshippers perform ceremonial rituals before their very own dedicated home shrines or altars. Prayers or poojas are a central part of the Hindu devotee’s life. Most Hindu followers perform their prayers at shrines or temples and with the aid of Hindu priests who are presented with offerings to the gods. These offerings become sacred and are considered as grace or prasada of the Divine Being.

Non-resident Indians (NRI’s) who have been influenced by foreign cultures tend to skip traditional Hindu rituals that have been practiced since the time of ancestors. Lifestyle changes and a shift in priorities have made some of them forget how it is to be strictly devoted followers of the Hindu religion. But the right path to a better life, peaceful minds, and peaceful relations with fellowmen lies in the strict adherence to the philosophical tenets and sacred beliefs of religion. In the rituals that are prescribed in Hindu sacred texts such as the Vedas is found the overall spiritual betterment and growth of human beings.

Rituals are a central part of Hindu life. The Hindu sacred texts, holy epics, and ancient traditions have laid down the various rituals that Hindu devotees must perform and conduct throughout his lifetime. In the Hindu religion, the dedication of holy sites is also important because these are regarded as the holy abodes of the gods. The Hindu’s life is a prayerful life that is complete with rituals, homages, and ceremonies. Most of these devotional forms of worship that complete a Hindu devotee’s life are held in temples and other sacred sites such as bodies of water and other forms of nature.

Scriptural manuals specify the sanctity of these sacred sites. Vedic priests or Brahmin pandits perform rituals at these purified sacred locations. The overreaching concept behind these is the attainment of peace by pleasing the gods. When devotees visit these sacred sites or abodes of the gods, they should be clean and pure in body and mind. After all, the main purpose of visitations is to perform rituals that ultimately cleanse the soul or spirit through the process of atonement. Rituals held at prescribed sacred sites are important because they formalize the Hindu identity and his devotion to the worshipful gods.

Visits to Hindu sacred sites and performing devotional worship and prayers in them make the Hindu closer to the Divine Being, a concept that is of prime importance in the Hindu religion. At these sacred sites, the Hindu reflects upon his life as a Hindu follower and how God has helped shape his progress in the material life. It is also a place where religious homages to the dearly departed loved ones and ancestors are conducted, making them pure and sacred—thereby pleasing the souls in the afterlife and helping ancestors journey more easily towards uniting with the Divine Power.